Hakimullah Mehsud

Hakimullah Mehsud (1979-1 November 2013), born Jamshed Mehsud, was the emir of the Taliban in Pakistan from 2009 until his death in 2013.

Biography
Jamshed Mehsud was born in Bannu in South Waziristan, Pakistan, in 1979. He was educated in a madrassa in Hangu District, alongside his fellow clansman Baitullah Mehsud. He joined Baitullah as his bodyguard and aide in the jihad against the government and took the name Hakimullah, meaning "one who has knowledge" in Arabic.

His skills were reported to be only second to Nek Muhammad Wazir, and after his 2004 death he became the smartest and most talented Taliban commander, using an AK-47 and Toyota pick-up truck. He was made a spokesman that year and from 2007 to 2008 he ambushed US Army convoys, forcing the closure of Khyber Pass six times. In 2008 he conquered Orakzai, Khyber, and Kurram.

In 2009, after the death of Baitullah, a 42-member shura appointed him the new leader of the Taliban in Pakistan. He was wounded in a shootout with a rival rebel group on 22 August; many people believed that he had died. However, he survived and continued raids.

Death


On 1 November 2013 the CIA planned to execute him with a drone strike. Targeting the village of Dande Darpa Khel, the CIA killed Mehsud, two militants, his uncle, and his cousin. He was succeeded as the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan emir by Maulana Fazlullah.